Granada
Granada "The Diamond of Pyrrhia" If you go to the Diamond Spray Delta at the end of the Diamond Spray river, and travel about a mile or so down the coast, you'll find the remains of a grand city. A sprawling metropolis at the heart of Pyrrhia. Grandiose buildings with a blend of Seawing, Rainwing, Sandwing, Skywing, Nightwing, Icewing, and even Scavenger influenced architecture. Palm trees and lush gardens line the streets, spices by the barrel full were found at every bazaar. Schools, temples, wonders, and libraries are hidden throughout the city. A great shipyard of red-flagged trading ships rests at the harbor, and a large statue of a Rainwing holding a torch overlooks the docks. At the center of it all, lies the ruins of an ancient palace and cathedral, laden with arts and works, and leading out to the city one a road of sculptures and statues. All of it overlooking the diamond clear ocean. You ask yourself, where did all of this come from? This was once the grandest city in Pyrrhia, and the center of the first real movement for peace in Pyrrhia: Granada. History It's said in legend that, long ago, around the time Darkstalker's parents met, when tribes were constantly embroiled in minor wars and battles, a Rainwing named Pomegranate, tried to persuade Queen Anaconda of the Rainwings to make peace with their neighbors. She would have none of it, especially in the minor depute the Rainwings found themselves in with the Mudwings and Seawings. Laughed out of court and banished by his Queen for insubordination, Pomegranate traveled north through the countryside of Pyrrhia. He only had a small amount of money with him, when he was seized by a Mudwing patrol. Bringing him to Queen Crane, she demanded(thinking he was a spy), that he give her information about the Rainwings. Pomegranate explained himself, and said he merely wanted lasting peace. Suspicious of this, Crane almost had him executed, when a Mudwing official, named Okavango, intervened, and offered a sum of gold for the Rainwing's release. Interest by the prospect Pomegranate proposed, Okavango offered another sum of gold to by land on the coast of the Diamond Spray Delta region to establish a city. Crane saw the land as useless, and did want a better post against the Seawings, and let the two start a charter to make their own city. Years went by. The two began spreading the word of establishing a peaceful city on the coast, and, surprisingly, the message worked. A good number of Skywings, Seawing refugees from Albatross' massacre, disloyal Mudwings, and other tribes, began assembling in the area. At first a small settlement, the city grew larger and larger slowly, until they found something: Saffron. With the new spice, trade exploded. The city grew more and more wealthy due to it's position, allowing it to trade with the Seawings and Skywings, as well as across the continent. Dragons far and wide heard of the prosperous city that welcomed all, and migrants flocked, bringing all sorts of diverse culture with them, until Granada was the capital of Pyrrhia in everything but name. Thousands of dragons lived in the growing city. Sciences and art flourished. Monuments and wonders were built and commissioned. When the population got to be larger than expected. Pomegranate proposed a new idea that would never kick off in Pyrrhia, but revolutionize Granada: democracy. He wanted at first to be king, casting out the idea of a queen, but then realized that a monarch of one tribe ruling over a blend of all seven, plus Scavengers, was a recipe for disaster. He instead, proposed that there should be equal freedoms for all tribes, and that there should be a system of votes that determine the leader based on credibility and merit, rather that interests or tribal alignment. Under this system, his popularity made him the first Papua(father) of Granada. The city continued to flourish years after his death, declaring itself independent from all the tribes and a free haven for all. This sat very poorly for Crane, the Seawings, and the Skywings, who not only all wanted a claim on the Granadan trade, but also feared republican uprisings in their own kingdoms. As the city bought more and more land on the Diamond Spray river and coast, it established itself as the Granadine Republic, with Granada as the capital. Crane then issued an ultimatum, stating they were part of the Mudwing Kingdom, and that the city had four months to remove all non-Mudwings from the republic. The dragons, who all saw themselves as more Granadan, rejected it, and led under Papua Timor, a Rainwing, declared war on the Mud Kingdom. At first the Granadas made several successful campaigns, but the Skywings and Seawings, driven for control of the city, allied with each other to help the Mudwings, cutting off the republic from the west, north, and east, while the Mudwings advanced from the south. Within the year, they were besieging Granada itself. The republic, so serene and short-live, was extinguished. The Mudwings were the first army over the gate. They slaughtered the population, Mudwings included, and ate the Scavengers down to a man. In what are known today as "Republican-Monarchy War" and "The Granadan Genocide", the republic fell. Mudwings destroyed many of the works. Seawings pillaged the harbor and markets. Skywings burned nearly everything to the ground. There was no mercy. Every dragon in the city was slaughtered. The Papua himself, Timor, tried to put up a desperate last stand and defend those he let hide in his palace, but he was stabbed as he tried shield them with himself. Nothing was left in the city. If you ask around today, almost no Skywing, Seawing, or Mudwing would even know of the city's existence. All records mysteriously vanished, and marked the end of the Bronze Age of Pyrrhia(age right after Scorching and formation of tribes). In an instant, a light that shined in the dark ages of Pyrrhia, a democracy, a haven for all, and a center of trade, luxury, equality, and thought, was snuffed out. The Diamond of Pyrrhia, was shattered. Highlights The Bazaar Once the center of trade, Granada's bazaar imported and sold several thousand goods a day. Saffron was so plentiful in Granada it was used as currency, seeing it was worthless as a commodity. However, since all of the other tribes wanted it, it exploded the economy. Archaeological evidence shows that the Granadans traded not just Saffron, but Tea, Pomegranates, Porcelain, Dandelions, Wooden Idols, and their most coveted commodity, Sandalwood, for goods like Marble, Sandwing Sandstone, and their most sought after luxuries, Honey and Sugar. The Palace at Sossonk The ruins of the grand palace, where the Papua would meet in the garden outside with commoners and nobles alike to discuss laws and lead a direct democracy. It's said the population would all gather in the main garden or hall and simply raise hands in voting. The Library A collect of texts from the ancient world of Pyrrhia, many texts not heard of today, such as the original Nightwing's Guide to Pyrrhia, which glorified the Nightwings and acknowledged the Rainwings' capabilities. Many records and texts from Pyrrhian history were collected and stored. Tragically though, the books and scrolls were burned to the ground. Clay tablets were broken by invaders in the city's destruction. Only a few texts lucky enough to survive the blaze exist to this day, merely 2 percent of the once great collection. The Shipyard and Lighthouse An ancient harbor of trading fleets once lined the dock, all overlooked by a grand statue of the founder, Pomegranate, holding a torch to guide ships to safety. Now it is nothing but a dried seabed, with the occasional flood restoring the water that would have held hundreds of boats laden with goods. Jardin's Garden This ancient garden, nicknamed, "The Garden of Weeden" by archaeologists, is named so for the extensive care for preserving wild and domestic flora from weeds. Dandelions, zaffers, tanzies, tulips, sakura blossoms, azaleas, roses, morning glories, four-o-clock flowers, and most prized of all, lotus, all grew in the lush garden. The work itself was a statement and testimony of not just Granada's wealth, but it's sophistication, as the project took the best irrigation and architects in Pyrrhia to make. Complex canals and artificial islands in the pond help in growing several varieties. A record of all the plants was kept in the Library, and was among the only texts not burned. The Astronarium Hidden among the hilled villas in the richer quarters of town, this ancient building was once a house of a middle class citizen that self-made his own observatory. Funded by Papua Starshine, the Nightwing Papua that succeeded Pomegranate, the complex grew and specialized, until it was the heart of scientific and physical observation in Pyrrhia. It was here a Scavenger scientist named Orb(the only famous one known), and his Icewing/Rainwing assistant, Shimmering, documented the orbit of Pyrrhia's three moons, predicted the schedule for the Brightest Night(which would later be separately discovered by the Nightwings years later), and noted several planets and heavenly bodies. However, most of their work was destroyed in the siege of the city, and no one wanted to believe a Scavenger and hybrid made such advancements, and so they and their work were forgotten into history. The Mausoleum Museum A cross between an art show and a cemetery, in 86 B.S.W(Before Sandwing War), near the end of the republic, Timor commissioned a historical site to honor the dead. For each dying dragon, the last rites of the dragon had to include, by law, a work of art dedicated to them(preferably, their favorite type of art). Thousands of sculptures, busts, paintings, and statues were created, and for each dead dragon, a tile was added to a ever-growing mosaic. Most of the art was destroyed in the war, but a few survived in near perfect condition, since the museum was underground in a catacomb. Altus Caelorus Also called "The Grand Music Hall", this alter and amphitheater was the seat of many musicians in ancient Pyrrhia, and held grand operas and orchestras every week. Sadly, most of the works, too, were destroyed or lost, and the instruments were stolen and smelted for metal. Trivia Did You Know? * Granada's Papuas(Presidents) in order are: Pomegranate, Starshine, Crete(Seawing), Mississippi(Mudwing), Thunderbird(Skywing), Jericho(Sandwing), Verglace(Icewing), Dante(Scavenger), and Timor. * Each Papua has a statue dedicated to him/her, in term order, going out of the palace. * The city is over a hundred years old * Dandelions were considered sacred in Granada, as symbols of many spreading,and fertility. It was sacrilegious to touch one improperly. * The flag of Granada is scarlet red(representing the saffron that built the economy), with a saffron flower at the center with eight white petals(for each of the seven dragons tribes and Scavengers). * The Library had over 5000 scrolls and 4000 books when it was first constructed. * Everyday at afternoon, Granadans would take break from work to enjoy music from the Grand Music Hall. * Granadan Saffron has been found as far away as the Lost City of Night and the coast of the Sandwing/Icewing borderland. * Shamrocks were considered a delicacy * Granada was the northernmost city in Pyrrhia(in comparison with other cities in the contest), but Saphire Village doesn't count, as it isn't on the Continent. * The election season began with the Spring Equinox, and ends on the night of the Harvest Moon * Nearly every plant species in Pyrrhia was in the Garden, but lost in the seige. * Granada is famous for it's artisans and craftsmen, exporting products throughout ancient Pyrrhia. * Granada's walls are double reinforced and shoot cannons of napalm. * Granada was once called "Ugarit" an ancient Scavenger word for "Unity" * Granada was the fastest growing city in Pyrrhia * Granada was the first real agricultural civilization in Pyrrhia, as most dragons, as today, still hunted. * Granada is located in what is now the Swiftwing territory * Granada had diplomatic relations with every major tribe except for the distant Sandwings. * Granadan Sandalwood can be found in commodities across Pyrrhia, especially in Icewing territory. * Granadans are said to have perfected medicinal plants, such as hibiscus and willow bark, to treat common ailments and diseases. * Granadan architecture is a blend of all the tribes, plus Scavenger influence, resulting in several strange buildings(cross between pagodasroof, tribal hutsmaterials, and medieval castlesstructure) Last Account of Timor Cry for Help This was the last known record written in Granada, by the last reigning Papua, Timor the Rainwing. He wrote in as a desperate cry for help from other regions of the republic that might have survived in the countryside, or to anywilling tribe. It reads: "Know all those after me. Know all those currently out there. My help? Not arriving. My city? On the brink. Barbaric dragons slam like the waves of the hard diamond sea against my walls. Already over the outer brim, and soon will be upon us. The library? Burned. My gardens? Uprooted. My treasures and the dragons I've come to love? Taken from me. Many a ship have been scuttled. All those not are in the seas of the Bay of A Thousand Scales. All my troops in the lands of Delta. What few I have here that loyally defend us are dead, their blood staining the blue decorated walls. All we have created is lost, and I myself have not much time left on this world. Such is the fate of empires, but not republics. Vandals have desecrated our lands, slaughtered innocents wishing no harm, and nothing but to live in peace. Do you not hear what I heard? They are at the gates. They have burst their way into my palace. Please, for the sake of peace, for our legacy, protect this script with your life, whoever may find it. There may not be hope, but I beg you as a fellow dragon to send for help. Should I die, know that, through all the mistakes and struggles, and through our downfall, we stood together. Not as wings of Mud, Sky, Rain, or Sea, not as scaled dragons or Scavengers, but as one people, us Granadans. We stood in the name of peace, though that peace is now extinguished." -Papua Timor, circa 84 B.S.W.(Before Sandwing War) Added Noted-Thank You Thanks guys for giving all the feedback and comments! I actually one first place, and seeing all of the other contestants, I actually didn't think I had a chance! great job to everyone else too! This contest has been really fun! Category:Content (NosferatutheDeathwing) Category:Places Category:Scavengers